Chalk Talk

When is it enough?

by DYLAN BROSSETTE

Daily News Sports Editor

There is a trend as LSU that is really bothering me. Well, maybe “bothering” isn’t the right word. It’s more like I see what is going on with Les Miles’ handling of some of his football players and I feel anxiety. I’m talking about the way in which he deals with players who commit violent crimes, but then face little to no retribution from the team. Let’s look at the facts. In June of 2011, former punter Brad Wing was arrested and charged with simple battery. Did he face the wrath of Miles? Hardly. Just one month after that incident, linebacker Josh Johns and quarterback Jordan Jefferson were arrested for their roles in assaulting a Marine outside Shady’s bar in Baton Rouge. While both players faced gruesome public scrutiny, and were suspended during the legal process following their arrests, you’ll remember who was the starting quarterback for the last five games of 2011.

There are at least four other incidents similar to these – Jeremy Hill sucker punching a man outside a bar then being allowed back on the team following a team vote; Tyrann Mathieu and 10 failed drug tests. This leads me to the latest and perhaps most egregious failing of the Mad Hatter. Junior All-SEC corner Jalen Mills, a three-year starter for the Tigers, was swiftly and without question allowed back onto the squad this week following his arrest for beating his girlfriend in her on-campus apartment at the university. Yes, it is not any more violent or heinous than any other of the acts perpetrated by Tigers, but to me it puts the final nail in the coffin of Miles’ role as a disciplinarian for the program.

What type of message is he sending? You can do whatever you want here as long as you’re on the team and won’t face the fullest extent of the law? We as fans should be outraged at how our state is being portrayed to the rest of the country, but won’t be as long as Miles keeps posting 10-win seasons and having good games against Alabama.

I, for one, am tired of this lack of any type of moral code on this team. My dad likes to call it Indians running the reservation with no chief, and I realize just how right he really is. Two more Tigers were arrested this week as well, freshmen Trey Lealaimatafao and Devon Godchaux, for stealing a bike on the LSU campus and throwing firecrackers into apartment buildings, respectavly. Not the worst thing they could have done, but another chance for Miles to step up and send a message, His response: we’ll handle it internally. Let my head commence to shaking.

For the complete story and more local news, please subscribe to Jennings Daily News by clicking subscribe or by calling 337-824-3011.

Short URL: http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=28141

Posted by Graphic Designer 2
on Aug 9 2014. Filed under Sports.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.